Homer ILIAD : Rhapsody 11

Page 4

But Agamemnon first leaped forth, and slew the hero Bianor, the shepherd of the people, and then also his companion, Oileus, the goader of steeds. For he then, leaping from the chariot, stood against him; but he (Agamemnon) smote him, as he was rushing straight forward, with his sharp spear, in the forehead; nor did the visor, heavy with brass, retard the weapon, but it penetrated both it and the bone, and all the brain within was stained with gore. Him then he subdued while eagerly rushing on. And Agamemnon, king of men, left them there with their bosoms all bare, for he had stripped off their tunics. Next he went against Isus and Anthipus, two sons of Priam, [the one] illegitimate, and [the other] legitimate, being both in one chariot, in order to slay them. The spurious [son] guided the chariot, whilst illustrious Antiphus fought. Them Achilles had once bound with tender osiers on the summits of Ida, taking them while pasturing their sheep; and had liberated them for a ransom. Then however the son of Atreus, wide-ruling Agamemnon, struck one upon the breast above the pap with his spear; and again he smote Antiphus beside the ear with his sword, and hurled him from his chariot. Hastening up, he despoiled them of their beautiful armour, recognizing them; for he had formerly seen them at the swift ships, when swift-footed Achilles brought them from Ida. And as a lion, returning to his lair, easily crushes the little fawns of the fleet hind, seizing them in his strong teeth, and deprives them of their tender life, whilst she, although she happen [to be] very near, cannot aid them; for a dreadful tremor comes upon herself; but hastening, she immediately flies through the thick oak groves and the forest, sweating, through the attack of the wild beast. Thus no one of the Trojans was then able to avert destruction from these, but they themselves were put to flight by the Greeks. Next [he attacked] Pisander and Hippolochus, brave in battle, the sons of warlike Antimachus, who having accepted gold from Paris, rich gifts, would not suffer them to restore Helen to yellow-haired Menelaus. His two sons, then, Agamemnon, king of men, seized, being in one chariot, for they drove their fleet horses together; for the splendid reins had fallen from their hands, and they were confounded. But the son of Atreus rushed against them like a lion, and they, on the contrary, supplicated [him] from the chariot:

"Take us alive, O son of Atreus, and thou shalt receive worthy ransoms. For many treasures lie in the houses of Antimachus, brass, gold, and variously-wrought iron. From these would our father give infinite ransoms, if he should hear that we were alive at the ships of the Greeks."

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Rhapsody 11

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